For further information about the 2015 proposals for an East of Bath Park & Ride, please click here.
As part of the B&NES Local Plan Partial Update, it was proposed to amend the existing Park & Ride policy covering the three sites at Lansdown, Newbridge, and Odd Down. As part of policy revisions, it was proposed that the three Park & Ride sites would be removed from the Green Belt to allow for their development as ‘transport interchanges’, incorporating additional uses such as household waste recycling, solar energy infrastructure, and a hub for sustainable transport (e.g. e-scooters).
In response to the public consultation, BPT emphasised that there would be no need for the land to be removed from the Green Belt at Park & Ride sites to enable the broadening of the use of these facilities as MMTIs (Multi Modal Transport Interchanges) – the long-term plans for the Park & Ride sites would be achievable whilst still within the Green Belt.
BPT evidenced this, working with an expert planning consultant, and presented a written representation at the public hearing for the examination of the Inspector which can be read here.
Read our accompanying press release here.
We maintained that the further loss of Green Belt around the edges of the City would potential allow for further denser forms of development and resulting damage to the openness of adjoining Green Belt land. Loss of Green Belt status would enable more intensive forms of development which would not otherwise meet the requirements of “exceptional circumstances”. Once land is removed from the Green Belt, control over alternative forms of development would of course be greatly weakened.
The Park & Ride sites have since been removed from the Green Belt, following the adoption of the Local Plan Partial Update in early 2023.
As part of their report, the Inspector concluded that there was a need for MMTIs to facilitate a range of sustainable transport options and decrease car dependency. The existing sites were noted to have already been developed with a range of transport infrastructure, buildings, access roads and car parking areas. It was concluded that the sites would need to be removed from the Green Belt to facilitate development with a more diverse range of transport options and facilities, which would otherwise be considered to be inappropriate development within the Green Belt. Removal would result in low-moderate harm across the three sites, but would be outweighed by the exceptional circumstances of developing MMTIs within Bath.
Read the Inspector’s final report here.